Hello All,

Back on MBWorld after selling the Pick and Pull bound - free to me - mechanically totalled GL350 Bluetec. I've had great and not so great cars during my 40+ years as a licensed driver, this one certainly was outside the norm. It refused to die and kept going even after going to the next woner.

The reason I'm back is that I've just bought a R129. Being more of a BMW guy, much like the GL, the R129 was not in the cards until I somehow told myself it made sense.
Back story is I am originally from France and after living in the US for 42 years, I moved back to Normandy in 2023. I had already shipped my 2007 BMW 650i 6 speed coupe there in 2017 and kept it at my parents' house as the car I would use during frequent visits, several of which included road trips to other French regions. Having always had a convertible or two or three in the fleet since 1998, I decided to look for a convertible to replace the 650i which I have owned for 16 years.
Requirements were BMW, preferably stick shift, good to great condition, price consistent with miles and condition, and preferably 30+ years old so it can be brought into France as a collector vehicle which lightens the tax and customs duty considerably and also iliminates the need to homologate the vehicle. I considered and even bid on Z8's but those are not only too new but a bit out of my price range until I can tap into my IRA, as well as several E30 325i. I did not consider the E36. The E30's are either pristine and overpriced IMO or well used and needing TLC and I was not looking for a project.
So on to other brands and the only logical choice became Mercedes. After considering an R107 I landed on the R129 because of its looks, safety equipment compared to an E30, availability of 30 year old version that are still in good condition, reputation for reliability and durability, room for the dog behind the front seats, availability of cherished cars in good to great condition with low miles at a relative good value for the money. After digging into the details of R129 evolution, the sweet spot seemed to be a 1996 model year as that was introduction of 5 speed transmission, OBD2 diagnostic, wire harnesses that do not auto decompose, side airbags, 30 years old within a few months which meets my 30 year collector requirement. SL500 was prefered over SL320, the SL600 was automatically out of the running as I did not want to have another car with the devilish air suspension which was a lesson learned from the GL350.

What did I end up with?
After stalking the BAT auctions, I fell for a 1997 SL500 in what seems to be a rare teal blue color. It's a two owner car with 24k miles and the selling dealer has performed some repairs as well as preventive part replacement that should ensure a fairly trouble free experience for some time. Price wise, I did get involved in a bidding war and spent a little more than I wanted, but in the end I felt the price of $31k was justified given the condition of the car (all original paint, low miles), the out of the norm color that to seems to suit the car perfectly, and the work that had been performed. There are slightly cheaper cars to be had in good original condition, but this one spoke to me.
On the 'if only' side is that there are no heated seats which I find baffling, and it's a 1997 so I need to figure out what to do with it in the US until it turns 30 years old and I can ship it to France. It's going to be a long wait...

If anyone knows of a vehicle storage solution in CT that has possibility to plug in a battery tender and does not cost more than my rent in college, please chime in. I can keep it stored with the selling dealer or can drive it across country to my US home in northern NV. Not sure what to do quite yet. And there is a lovingly kept 2007 BMW 650i 6 speed coupe with nearly all option boxes checked that is going to be for sale in the next few months. Fly into France, buy it, drive it all over Europe, ship it back to the US.

Obligatory photos below, sorry for the long post.









À vendre...